Kids’ Easter Party

A grassy lawn makes a perfect setting for an Easter celebration fit for kids of all ages. Hide dyed eggs among the hedges and let the party guests hunt high and low before they settle on blankets to eat and compare finds. Help the kids decorate baskets and eggs, or make daisy chains. A round of lawn games and races complete the day’s activities.

PARTY STYLE

Invitations: Create invitations that evoke the joyful feel of this spring holiday. A card shaped like an egg or a daisy, and embellished with colorful ribbon or stickers, conveys the sweet playfulness of the gathering.

Food: Put together an Easter-inspired buffet including baby carrots with stems attached, ham and cheese sandwiches on small rolls or tucked into pita, and deviled eggs. Save the sweets (chocolate eggs, jelly beans, and lollipops) for the take-home baskets.

MAKE IT SPECIAL

Melon Balls
Dress up this everyday treat by serving it in a scallop-edged watermelon bowl. A mix of green honeydew and golden watermelon delivers a fresh and inviting look.

Nest of Eggs
Nestle Easter eggs (dyed in light blues and greens and decorated with polka dots and flowers) in a footed bowl filled with straw.

Buffet Setup
Set the table to match the scene. Use a gingham tablecloth, garlands of fresh daisies, and plates and cutlery that are outdoor-friendly.

Flower Garland
Celebrate springtime’s flowery display with a handmade garland made of garden-fresh daisies. Let kids weave the chains themselves with a few helpful tips from you.

Spring Buffet
Make the buffet table easy to navigate with plates stacked on one end and utensils wrapped in napkins and sealed with pretty ribbons.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Lawn Games
Outdoor games are key to Easter fun. Try egg-in-a-spoon relay races, croquet, badminton, an egg toss, Simon says, a bean bag toss, or a race to see who can be first to push an egg over a finish line…with his or her nose!

Easter Favors
Think favors that double as activities, such as bubble-blowing liquid and wands, and baskets for decorating with ribbons, flowers, and toys.

Egg Hunt
No Easter party is complete without one. Don’t skimp on the hidden treasures and prizes!

PARTY MENU

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice

1 1/3 cups superfine sugar

6 cups cold water

Ice

8 thin lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Pour the lemon juice into a 2-qt. pitcher. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in the water. Cover and refrigerate until serving. (The lemonade can be made up to 4 days in advance.)

To serve, fill tall glasses with ice and pour in the lemonade. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice, if desired. Serve 8.

Pink lemonade variation: To make pink lemonade, stir 5 to 6 drops red food coloring into the lemonade before serving.

Melon Ball Salad

2 melons, of different varieties

1 Tbs. fresh lime or orange juice

1/2 tsp. finely grated lime or orange zest

Using a sharp knife, cut off the top one-third of the largest melon. Scoop our and discard the seeds from both pieces. Then, using a melon baller, scoop melon balls from both the top one-third and the bottom two-thirds into a large bowl, removing all of the flesh but leaving sturdy walls intact in the bottom portion. Remove about half of the balls to a second bowl, cover and refrigerate for another use. With the knife, attractively trim the rim of the melon “bowl,” creating a scalloped or sawtoothed edge. Set the melon bowl aside. Cut the remaining melon in half, and remove and discard the seeds. Scoop out balls from the melon halves and add them to the bowl holding the other balls. You should have about 6 cups.

Add the juice and zest to the melon balls and stir gently to mix. Gently scoop the melon balls into the melon bowl. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving. Serves 8.

Sunny-Side Up Breakfast Pies

18 bacon slices, cooked until crispy

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

3 Tbs. ice water, plus more as needed

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 eggs

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives

Place 2 bacon slices in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse until combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Add the 3 Tbs. ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 tsp. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a round 1/8 inch thick. Using the larger side of the circle cutter, cut out 8 rounds, rerolling the scraps as needed. Flour both sides of the dough rounds and prick the dough with a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

Flour the pastry press. Open the pie maker and place 1 dough round in each well. Use the press to push the dough down into the wells to form the bottom crust. Close the lid on the pie maker, ensuring the latch clicks into place. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Open the pie maker. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. cheese over each crust and crack 1 egg into each one. Close the lid and cook until the eggs are set, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a nonstick heatproof spatula or a mini-pie lifter, carefully transfer the pies to a wire rack.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough rounds, cheese and eggs. Season the pies with salt and pepper and garnish with the chives. Serve each pie with 2 bacon slices. Serves 8.

Pour the chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl and set over (not touching) simmering water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. You will have 1 cup melted chocolate. Plan on using 1 generous tablespoon-sized dollop of melted chocolate for each lollipop.

Color half of the melted chocolate for decorating: For each color, spoon about 3 tablespoons melted chocolate into a small bowl. Add 1 drop of food coloring and stir until blended. Spoon the tinted chocolate into a sturdy resealable plastic bag and secure until closed, or into a disposable pastry bag, twist the top closed and secure with a rubber band. Place the filled portion of the bag in a small bowl of hot water so the chocolate doesn’t harden. Repeat to color more batches of chocolate.

Give each child a small sheet of waxed paper and place a lollipop stick on top. Remove the melted chocolate reserved for making the lollipops from over the hot water. Let each child spoon a dollop over the top of the stick, and then use the spoon to spread the chocolate into an oval about 2 by 3 1/2 inches. Twist the stick gently to coat it with chocolate. The stick should extend from the middle of the oval. Carefully dry the bags of colored chocolate and snip the ends to create small holes for piping. Have the children pipe designs onto their eggs and decorate with candies and/or sprinkles, if they wish. Once decorated, let dry until firm, about 15 minutes. Peel away the waxed paper and enjoy! Makes 8 lollipops.